Daddies Brat

Jemma

There’s nothing colder than Connecticut in February except the silence of not having them in the same room bickering over who makes the next food run while they read contracts, talking out coding issues or

quarterly spreadsheets.

Father and Mother have officially cut me out of their lives. I have the icy letter on my dresser to prove it. The final line the coldest of all: Your shame is yours to carry alone.

In the three weeks since the quiet flight home I’ve managed to do absolutely nothing for myself except go to work and sleep.

“I can’t bear to apply for another school.”

“You can’t walk away from getting your degree. You only have a few months left and then you can do whatever it is you want.”

I pick at the ice cream tub sitting between Brooklyn and me the mint chocolate no longer appetizing. In fact, I feel rather nauseous lately at the slightest taste of food.

“I want them.”

Brooklyn’s hand shoots out to cover mine with a friendly squeeze. “Have you talked with them? Do they know yet?”

I shake my head. I suspected my upset stomach was due to more than just a broken heart. When Brooklyn found me hugging the toilet yesterday morning, we both had a crying session that ended with my best friend running to the drugstore around the corner.

“I need some space to wrap my head around this. None of this was supposed to happen. But I will eventually, especially with…” I point to my stomach. “But right now, I just need to think about what I’m going to do next. It hasn’t been easy. I miss them. I’ve texted them a few times. Erik especially.”

Brooklyn takes the ice cream away and pushes a bottle of water into my hand. “They haven’t been to the school for class. They’ve brought in your father to fill in for Erik’s lectures. I had no idea class could get harder, but that man has found a way to make me dread advanced mathematics and I LOVE numbers.”

I cringe and take my friend’s hand in mine. My throat grows tight with all the pent-up emotions I have nowhere to release. “I’m sorry. Truly. I didn’t mean to make your life miserable.”

“You need to talk to him.”

“I tried. I went home last Sunday and was promptly informed I was no longer their daughter.”

“And they gifted you that nastygram.”

I nod. Tears burn my eyes but I force them to retreat.

“How about we go to a V-Day party? Something to help lighten your mode. Talk to some peeps, get you out of your funk?”

“The last party is what got me into this mess. I think I’ll grab another shift down at Krista’s, maybe give her the night off. I’ll need the extra money if I want to finish my degree before the baby.”

“Want me to come with? Sit there and keep you company? Make sure you drink enough water?”

I laugh softly. “No, go to your party. I have a couple of things to do before I leave anyway.”

“Are you sure?”

I pull Brooklyn in for a quick hug and tap the heart on my charm bracelet that belongs to her. I already have you with me. Go, have fun. Take pictures of your new boyfriend for me.” My friend is reluctant but she has a life and a new boyfriend. No way I would be the one to keep her from that. There’s no way I’m going to keep her from the first Valentine’s Day with her new love interest.

As soon as she is gone, I lock the door and head to the bathroom for a hot shower and a deep cry.

An hour later I’m serving a warm cup of hot cocoa to a group of students hitting the books hard and I’m hit with Brooklyn’s words about seeking my degree one way or another. I miss my books, but I miss them more.

“What’s wrong, honey? You look like you’re going to burst into tears.”

I turn to look over my shoulder to find Krista eyeing me intently. “It’s just been a long month or so.”Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

I force a smile and just my luck. Someone walks in so I duck my head and get to work. Between orders and on my breaks I pull out my eBook reader and flip through a couple of my textbooks. Most people my age prefer them over the tonnage of actual physical print books others lug around.

The sound of a bell pulls me out of my reading and I look up to find a man with a huge bouquet of flowers so big it covers his head and upper torso. He places them on a nearby table, turns and heads back out.

“Okay.” I find Krista staring at the man’s retreating back with the same puzzled look that’s on my face.

“Weird.”

The bell jingles again.

One by one each of the few parking spaces in front of the dinner fills with delivery men unloading vans all loaded down with every kind of flower.

One stands at the door as they all parade back and forth. Within five minutes the place fills up with every kind of flower. Especially my favorite -tulips. In every color imaginable.

“Um, excuse me. This is a diner. You know that, right? What are you doing?” I turn one of the delivery guys around before he can walk off.

He nods. “What the bosses ordered.”

“Bosses?” “Yes, ma’am.”

Another nod.

I check the bouquets but don’t find a card.

“We figured this would be better than a note card.”

I twirl around at the sound of a familiar deep voice.

“We couldn’t figure out how to say what we wanted on a 3×2 piece of paper.”

I rush to Erik and throw my arms around him.

“So you get us instead. Maybe looking into our eyes when we tell you how much we love you will be better anyway.”

Daemon. God, I love his directness. More now than ever. He falls victim to my hug next.

“Why don’t you just blurt it out, man,” Erik ribs his friend and I laugh through the sudden tears that spring up.

He lifts a shoulder in a lazy shrug. “What? It’s not like the flowers didn’t give it away.”

Beside them Warren patiently waits, his eyes so intense I can literally feel them tracking my every move.

“Are you two done?”

Warren grabs me by the hips and plants me on a stool.

“We’ve missed you, baby. Thank you for not completely shutting us out. The texts you sent were everything.”

“I would never freeze another soul out. I would never do that to anyone.”

“I know, baby. We all do.”

Warren captures my lips in a warm kiss and for seconds, minutes maybe hours I lose all concept of time and just feel. At some point someone gets a little impatient and clears their throat. “You’re our queen and if you let us, we would like to show you what you mean to us every day of our lives.”

“You’ve been fired from your position at the school, I assume? All because of me.”

“Yes. It’s made things a little difficult. But not impossible.”

“My father… I’m so sorry.”

“He’ll come around. Or he won’t. Normally, there’s not much you can do when a man is set in his ways.”

“Just give it time. You might be surprised.” Erik takes my hand in his and kisses each finger before bringing it to his heart.

“How did you guys find me here?”

“Your friend was more than helpful with the details when we showed up at the Valentine’s Day party. She can be very persuasive when wanting information. We first delivered the flowers to your apartment. When we didn’t find you, we went there.”

“In front of the entire student body?”

“The more people who know how much we love you the better.”

I can’t believe my ears. I bite at my lip and consider what I have to say next…and the outcome it will have on the evening.

I look around and see everyone has discreetly vanished. I’ll have to remember to thank Krista.

“I’ve been wanting to show you guys something. I just didn’t know the words to use along with the image. Though, it pretty much speaks for itself.” I flick through the pictures on my phone and pull up a snapshot of the pregnancy test and flip around my phone.

They all fall to their knees and place kisses on my belly. The awe in their expressions leaves me so filled with emotions I think I’ll burst if one of them doesn’t say something.

“We thought for sure there was someone else in your life. Someone who would take you away from us.”

“We spent the last three weeks handing in our resignations and making sure we had everything in order to be able to be with you and not jeopardize you, your reputation or your time here at the college.”

“I bet my father loved that, but you don’t have to worry about me. I’m expelled, remember?”

Warren’s scowl darkens and I’ve come to learn it means he has something very arrogant to say. “Not after agreeing to build a new library and another lecture wing for science.”

My jaw drops. “What are you saying.”

“Everyone has their price. Even the ones with false standards. We turned the tables on your father. Held something he wanted just out of reach with the threat of taking it away completely if he didn’t comply with our terms- you back in school.”

“I don’t believe it.” I don’t have time to digest the news before all three take my left hand and clip something onto three areas. Hearts. These are made of gold with a diamond in the center of each all surrounding the snowflake.

Fat tears stream down my cheek and they are all three there to dry them with kisses.

“Now every time you look at your snowflake you will see it surrounded by love.”

“And remember the warmth you’ve brought into our lives. And in just a few months we’ll be able to add a fourth heart.”

Each of them rests a hand on my belly and I get a flash of what I will be like as the next nine months progress.

Erik pulls me off the stool and into his arms, carrying me out the door. February snow lands on our lashes as we make our way to their car. For a long moment we just stand there, my filthy professors and me as the snow falls, my heart warmer than it’s ever been.

Epilogue

Jemma

Two years later

The day after their confession of love, we were on a plane heading back to London. Within a week they secured a home for us. They were planning on moving their headquarters overseas and made the

decision on our last trip here. Only they didn’t have a chance to share the news after the fallout with my family.

In the two years since they gave me their hearts and I handed them mine, we’ve racked up thousands of flyer miles and charms I cherish-a lion from our trip to South Africa where they were a part of building schools, a cherry blossom from the night in Hong Kong, a llama from our honeymoon trip to Peru.

It’s been a wild ride and every minute I don’t have my face buried in coding, I spend it with them and our mischievous daughter who has my hair, deep green eyes and what I swear is Erik’s sweet tooth.

I’m on my way home having just finished my last class of the day and thumb through a few pictures from a few years back. I smile when my thumb lands on one I almost forgot about.

A couple of flicks and I shoot it off to my guys, hoping they are alone. How I could forget the one I snapped two years ago in London is beyond me. Or was it Paris? All the nights of their passionate lovemaking have blurred together except that night. I remember the night they marked me as theirs.

It’s Valentine’s Day and I’m hoping for a little fun tonight. I smile as I hit send, knowing all of them will be hitting reply within three seconds.

My phone goes off like rockets on the Fourth of July.

“Repeat. Tonight.”

That is Daemon. So direct as usual. He’s opened up more and there are times when if he gets going on a topic he loves, it’s hard for him to stop. I love it. And I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Erik pops up next. “Our dirty girl wants to get naughty.” Followed by an eggplant and lips.

Warren. My sweet, broody man is always last to answer. “Take your panties off before you walk into the house. Our little lady is with Brooklyn for the night so let’s use our time wisely. Don’t keep us waiting.”

“See you at home in ten, my loves.”

I finished my bachelor’s in computer science and I’m currently working with Thurston and Black while working toward my Ph. D.

The elevator dings and I step directly into our living room to the delicious smell of Daemon’s favorite chili and cornbread. My stomach rumbles.

“Hi, handsome, is that for me?” I find Daemon where I thought I would-in the kitchen holding out a wine glass knowing he would be my first stop.

“Hey, beautiful.”

“You never cease to amaze me.”

“And we hope we never do.”

Warren and Erik join us and all three surround me much like that first night in the quiet room of their manor. But this time I’m not hiding who I am or what I want.

“Let’s make another baby tonight.” I pull at the string holding my cranberry wraparound dress on and let it fall to the floor.

All three prowl closer and I’m shared until all three have tasted the wine on my tongue. “Sounds like a plan,” Warren rumbles in my ear.

“But the baby making will have to wait until you have enjoyed a nice, warm meal.” Daemon drags a stool over and pulls me onto his lap.

Erik takes another beside us and together they alternate between feeding me food and delicious wine. “After, we will ravish you until you can’t take any more of us.”

“That will never happen.”

I can’t believe I’ve found a home with the last people on this Earth I thought would ever fall in love with me. I’m no longer the mousy girl in the back of the room afraid to show her fears as much as her desires. I’m stronger than that now. And I’ll make sure our babies are too.

I didn’t set out to fall for my professors but they’ve proven love comes in so many forms and none of us has any control over what our hearts want, as filthy as it may seem.